Automatic safety device for cars.



No. "710,423. f Patente d Oct. 7, I902. W. H. CALEY.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY DEVICE FOR CABS.

(Application filed Feb. 10, 1962.

(No Mod 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

. WITNESSES IF: INVENTOR.

' Wu/$16M, fl,@, ATTORNEY.

No. 710,423. I Patented Oct. 7, I902. w. H. BALEY.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY DEVICE FOR CARS.

(Applia'tion'filed Feb. 10, 1902. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I C BY LWIfNESSES I ATTORNEX UNTTED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM II. OALEY, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRED G. FOLSOM, OF BOULDER, COLORADO.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY DEVICE FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,423, dated October 7, 1902.

Application filed February 10, 1902. Serial No. 93,462. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: orsuddenly increasing the'speed of the same Be it known that I, XVILLIAM H. CALEY, a while persons arein dangerous positions upon citizen of the United States, residing in the its steps. cityof Denver, countyofArapahoe, and State The term car or power-driven car of Colorado, (whose post-office address is No. will be here understood to mean one that is 408 Ernest dc Cranmer Building,) have initself provided with motive means or is in a vented a new and useful Automatic Safety train with a car or other conveyance that is Device for Cars, of which the following is a provided with such motive means. specification. I do not wish to limit myself to the exact 10 My invention relates to passenger-carrying construction shown in the drawings, as it is cars and similar conveyances which are either evident that any suitable mechanical conprovided with or are tributary to power-pronections from depressible stepstoa stop for pelling means and controlling means therethe controller-shaft will be effective to pro for for starting, stopping, and advancing the vide the safety desired. is car. Of the several views of the drawings, Figure The invention consistsin providingasafety l is a transverse sectional elevation through device for preventing accidents to the enterthe front platform of a motor-car provided ing and departing passengers of the car by with my improved safety device, the same preventing the starting of the car when any being on line Z Z of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan 20 passenger is stepping upon the steps of the view, on a reduced scale, of the lower part of car and may therefore be partly on the car such a car below line X X of Fig. 1, showing and partly on the ground. particularly the rock-shaftin connection with Some of the objects of the device are, first, steps and controller-shafts at both ends of to provide the car or other means of conveythe car. Fig. 3 is a detached elevation of 25 ance with automatic means for maintaining the lower end of the controller-shaft and adthe same stationary until persons entering or jacent parts at the opposite end of the car leaving it have either completely entered or from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents have fully alighted from it and are thus out a modified form of construction of the stepof a dangerous position partlyor wholly upon supports and connections to the ratchet on 3c the steps thereof; second, to provide autothe controller-shaft. In Fig. ldiiferentmeans matic means to preventanyincrease of speed are shown upon the right and left sides of of such car while a person is on its steps, even the car for connecting the lower step with the though such person mounted them while-the rock-shaft of the safety device. In Fig. 2 car or vehicle was in motion, thus permitting dotted lines represent the location of the car 5 persons at their own risk to board and alight body or frame. Fig. 5 is a perspective view from the same or to remain upon the steps of portions of the rock-shafts of adjacent cars thereof while it is in motion, but preventing in a train and shows a means of connecting any increase in the speed of said car over the safety device of a trailer-car with that of and above that of which the risk was assumed a motor-car. o 0 by the persons when they mounted the steps; Similar characters designate like parts in third,to provide a positive means wherebythe the several views.

conductor may prevent the motorneer from The controllen'shaftArepresents the means starting the car when danger arises of which for turning on and off the current of an electhe motorneer is unaware, as when a vehicle tric car, or of setting and loosening the grip 5 5 or pedestrian in the street would he caught of a cable-car, or.of regulating any other by some after portion of the car which is out means used for propelling a car. of the range of vision of the motorneer-as, It is immaterial in this invention what the for instance, the rear steps-and, fourth, to power means is, the significant fact being remove all possibility of negligence on the thatthepowerused maybe applied tostartthe I00 50 part of the motorneer or other person 0011- car and increased to accelerate it by rotation trolling the movements of the car in starting of the shaft A in one direction and be readapted to engage the ratchet-teeth of the wheel B and is preferably pivotally support ed in any desirable manner, as upon a rockshaft D,which is preferably supported in bearings secured to the frame of the car, as bearings E. The direction of this rock-shaftD is approximately longitudinal of the car, to be substantially parallel with the steps at the sides of the car; but its direction may be somewhat diagonal to accommodate it to the position of the controller-shafts at the opposite ends of the car.

Fixedly secured upon the rock-shaft D are upward-extending arms F and downward-extending arms F, and these arms may be located at any desired part of the shaft to suit connecting the same with the car-steps. The rock-shaftD is also provided with amember having a pawl-disengaging lug G and a pawlengaging lug G, and to the latter is fixedly secured a spring G which bears on the pawl C and yieldingly presses the same into engagement with the teeth of ratchet-wheel B upon the rock-shaft D being tipped appropriately in the direction of the arrow. The spring G2 allows the ratchet-wheel B to turn freely in the direction to shut 06. power; but the pawl prevents its turning in the direction to apply power when the rock-shaft is tipped to cause the engagement of the pawl. tipping the rock-shaft D in the opposite direction the pawl O is forcibly disengaged from the ratchet-wheel B by the lug G. The member having the arms F and F may be formed integral with the member having the lugs G and G, and it is so represented in the drawings.

An essential feature of the device is making some or all of the steps of the car depressible in order that their being stepped upon may cause sufficient movement to operate the pawl C, and the steps may be mounted in any desirable manner to be slightly ele- Vated when no person is on them by any yielding force, as by a spring or weight. Suitable stops limit the upward-and-downward movement of the steps, which is slight.

One manner of mounting the steps is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings and embodies supports H, which are fixedly secured to the car-body as may be desired, and these supports H are provided with holes adapted to receive the ends of shafts I, which form pivot-bearings for the steps J. Fixedly secured upon the shaft I are horizontal arms K, to which the steps J are secured, as may be desired.

Uponv One of the arms K of each step is,

provided with an upright extension K, which is connected with the arms F or F of the rock-shaft in any desirable manner, as by the rods L. The steps of one side of the car are connected with the upward-extending arms F and those of the opposite side with the downward-extending arms F, that the rockshaft D shall be tipped in the same rotary direction when any step is depressed.

Where there is more than one step at any one place of entrance of the car and it is desired to have both steps operate the pawl 0, they may both be connected directly with the arms of the rock-shaft, as by the rods L and L in the left side of Fig. 1, or the two steps may be connected together so as to operate as one, as by means of the arms J and conheating-link J and then one of the pair of steps connected to the rock-shaft, as by the rod L in the right side of Fig. 1. The essential feature is that all steps or all desired steps shall be connected directly orindirectly with the rock-shaft D to cause the engagement of the pawl G with the ratchet-wheel B when such steps are depressed, as by being stepped upon.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the steps are represented as being elastically sustained in their upper positions against stops H in a collective mannor by means of acompression-spring M, acting upon an arm M, which is fixed upon the shaft D, the steps beingraised because of their being connected with the shaft D when it is retracted to its normal position, as shown. Instead of this collective means of sustaining the steps individual step-springs may be used, if deemed more expedient. The steps are sustained against being depressed beyond the proper horizontal position by means of the stops H which are formed integral with or secured to the supports H.

Another form of mounting for the steps J and of connections to the pawl engaging with ratchet-wheel B is shown in Fig. 4., in which H is a support secured to the car-body and is provided with a pivot-joint at N, and there is preferably one of these supports H at each end of each pair of steps. The steps J and the shaft I are preferably rigidlysecured to suitable end pieces H and swing as a whole in the pivot-joint N, the downward and inward swinging movement of the steps being limited by the stop H striking the sup port H In this form the pawl O is pivotally mounted upon a depending arm P, which is fixed upon the rock-shaft D, and the pawl is provided with an inclined face S, which rests upon a projection T of the bearing for the rock-shaft, and this inclined face causes the free end of the pawl to be raised out of engagement and lowered into engagement as the rock-shaft D is'tipped. A connection Q from the step end piece H to the depending arm P causes them to swing simultaneously, and consequently the-pawl O is thrown into operative position by the depression of the steps, as before described. A suitable stop limits the outward and upward movement of the swingingstep, as shown at H. A compression-spring R tends to sustain the steps and pawl in their inoperative position, as shown. In this form gravity causes the engagement of pawl O with ratchet-wheel B, and hence the ratchet may turn backwa rd freely, as before.

The two controller-shafts at the opposite ends of the car are preferably provided with oppositely-disposed ratchet-wheels, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, that for one end of the car preferably facing upward, as shown in Fig. 1, and that for the opposite end of the car facing downward, as shown in Fig. 3, that the rock-shaft D may be located approximately at the center of the car and be operative to throw the pawls out at both ends of the car when tipped in one direction, and vice versa.

An emergency-release is desirable for use with this safety device and is preferably some convenient means of raising the pawl C or O to allow the motorneer to speed the car in case of dangeras, for instance, in case of a rapidly-approaching car crossing the track or in case of a runaway team threatening to collide with the car. In Fig. 1 a simple means of so raising the pawl O is shown and consists of a plunger U, which is slidably mounted in the car-platform for vertical movement, the plunger being adapted to be depressed by the foot of the motorneer, whereupon it strikes an extension 0 of the pawl C,which itdepresses,

and consequently raises the operative end of the pawl. A retracting-spring U returns the plunger U to its upper position free from the pawl. It will be apparent that in case of an emergency the motorneer may step on the plunger U, and thereby throw the safety device out of operation, that he may speed the car notwithstanding persons may be at the time upon the steps. This emergency-release is preferably made so as to not be capable of being latched or otherwise fastened in a position to hold the pawl out of action, for the reason that an important object of the safety device is to have it substantially always in operation in order to protect the passengers from accident and the car company and'its employees from liability. The application of the emergency-release is optional with the car company, and its use may be made dependent upon the nature of the dangers to which any particular line is subject.

In Fig. 5, D D are portions of rock-shafts of adjacent cars, as a motor-car and a trailer, and these are made to tip in unison by means of a loosely-suspended shaft preferably 00- cupying a position below the coupling device of the cars. This suspended connectingshaft D is shown formed with T-shaped ends, each extremity of which has a horizontal hole for the reception of the lower end of a suspension hook or link D The rock-shafts D are each provided with a horizontal arm, provided, preferably, with similar horizontal holes D into which the upper end of the hooks D are inserted. The lower end of these hooks are so shaped as to be capable of disengagement when desirable to separate the cars by swinging, the connecting-shaft D far forward or rearward. effective to cause one shaft D to tip when the other shaft D is tipped, and hence stepping on the step of the trailing car will operate the safety device of the motor-car to which it is connected. The suspended connection, as shown, allows the necessary freedom of the coupled cars in going over uneven track or around curves.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a power-driven car, the combination with a power-controlling shaft, of yielding steps at the entrances of said car; and connecting means between said controlling-shaft and said steps, in position and adapted to lock said shaft against being turned to apply power when any of said steps are depressed.

2. In a power-driven car, the combination with a power-controlling shaft, of depressible steps at the places of entrance of said car; a series of ratchet-notches upon a member secured upon said controlling-shaft; and a pawl -in position and adapted to engage said ratchetnotches, and operatively connected with said steps.

In a power-driven car, the combination with depressible, yielding steps at the entrances of the car, of retracting means for raising said steps; power-controlling means adapted to apply or increase the motive power of said car by being moved in one direction, and to reduce or cut off such motive power by being moved in the opposite direction; and connecting means in position and adapted to lock the said power-controlling means against movement in the direction to apply power, while permitting movement in the direction to cut off power, when said steps are depressed.

4. In a power-driven car, the combination with depressible steps at the entrances of the car, of a controller-shaft adapted to govern the application of power to propel the said car; a ratchet-wheel secured upon said controller-shaft; a pawl mounted for engagement with said ratchet-wheel; and a rockshaft operatively connected with said steps and with said pawl, whereby the engagement of the said pawl will be caused by the depression of said steps.

5. In a power-driven car, the combination with depressible steps at the entrances of the car, of a controller-shaft provided with a ratchet-wheel; a rock-shaft operatively connected with said steps; a pawl pivotally mounted on said rock-shaft and adapted to engage said ratchet-wheel; positive means carried by said shaft for disengaging said pawl from said ratchet-wheel; and yielding means carried by said rock-shaft for moving Yet the hooks are' &

said pawl into engagement with said ratchetwheel.

6. In a power-driven car, the combination with depressible steps at the entrances of the car, of limit-stops and elastic lifting, means for said steps; a power-controller provided with a ratchet member; and means substantially as specified, for locking the said controller against movement to apply power.

'7. In a power-driven car, the combination with depressible steps, of a controller-shaft provided with a ratchet-wheel; a pawl for engagement with said ratchet-wheel, and connected with said steps; and an emergency-release for said pawl.

8. In cars moved by power and governed by a controller having a series of ratchetteeth, depressible steps at the entrances of WILLIAM H. CALEY [L. s]

Witnesses:

HENRY COHEN, E. O. COOHRAN. 

